26 April,2025 10:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The ones with short-term visas have been asked to leave by April 27, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said. Pic/X
Maharashtra's Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam on Saturday said that around 5,000 Pakistani nationals are residing in the state, including 1,000 on short term visas who have been asked to leave the country as per the Centre's directives, reported the PTI.
In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken a firm stance against Pakistani nationals present in the country.
Some are residing in India since the last 8-10 years, some are married and some are those who have surrendered their Pakistani passport and applied for Indian citizenship, he said, according to the PTI.
"According to my estimate there could be 4,000 long term visas of which 1,000 are the SAARC visa, those who have come to the state for film work, medical ground, journalism, personal work," Yogesh Kadam said, the news agency reported.
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The ones with short-term visas have been asked to leave by April 27, while those with medical visas have been given two more days to leave, he said on Saturday.
Following the horrific Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 persons were killed, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that all existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from April 27, while medical visas issued to them will be valid only till April 29.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the process of expelling Pakistani citizens from India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack has begun and legal action will be taken against such individuals overstaying in the state, reported the PTI.
CM Fadnavis condemned the killing of innocent tourists and said the Modi government will give a befitting reply.
The chief minister met the families of two friends from Pune- Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale- who were killed in the April 22 terror attack.
"I met the family members of those killed in the terror attack. The description of the incident narrated by Asawari Jagdale (daughter of one of the victims) is disturbing. I don't want to say anything to those speaking out of turn on the (Pahalgam) incident, according to the PTI.
"Our resolution to fight against terrorism has become even stronger. Help will be provided to the six families from Maharashtra," he told reporters.
The chief minister visited Ganbote's residence in Kondhwa area and consoled his wife Sangita, who survived the terror attack. He then headed to Jagdale's residence in Karvenagar and spoke to Jagdale's daughter Asavari and wife Pratibha, the news agency reported.
He said legal action will be taken against Pakistani nationals overstaying in Maharashtra.
"Those Pakistanis who are illegally staying in the country will be found soon. The process of expelling Pakistani citizens from the country has begun. The Centre has already decided to suspend the visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect, along with revocation of all existing valid visas issued to Pakistanis," CM Fadnavis added, according to the PTI.
(with PTI inputs)
